Method of and means for forwarding sheets



June 24,- 1941., p, H, Rom-HE METHOD OF A ND MEANSl FOR FORWARDINGSHEETS Filed Oct. 18, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 24,1941, p H, ROETHE I2,247,134

I y METHOD 0F AND MEANS FOR FORWARDING SHEETS Filed oct. 18, 1939 A.sheets-sheet 2 A Jun@ 24, 394%,

P. H. ROETHE v METHD OF AND MEANS FOR FORWARDING SHEETS Filed oct 18,193s;4

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 24, 941.. 1:- RQETHE 2,2 4734 v y v METHOD oF ANDMEANS FOR FoRwABnING sHEETs .Filed oct. 18, 1939 4 sheets-sheet 4Patented June 24, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE Patrick Henry Boothe,Chicago, Ill., assigner to Ditto. Incorporated, Chicago, lil., acorporation of West Virginia Application october 1s, 1939, serial No.299,927

(on. en -ss) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improved means for forwarding sheets. andparticularly to such means in connection with a. liquid processduplicating machine. It is the object of the invention to provide animproved form and arrangement of parts by theuse of which a morepositive stop is afforded for the leading edge oi a copy sheet closelyadjacent to the bite of the usual forwarding rollers so as to insurethat the edge of the sheet shall be brought always to the same alignedposition across the machine without the necessity for relying upon thelnterengaging face portions of the rollers which form a sharp angle withrespect to each other for establishing the alignment.

In the preferred form of improved mechanism forming the subject matterof this application, the lower one of the twoforwarding and meisteningrollers is provided with a groove in its face having a square shoulderat its leading edge, the arrangement of the driving means for therollers being such that the groove is always moved into the sameposition spaced from the bite of the rollers at the time when the copysheet is presented to the rollers, with the result that the leading edgeof the copy sheet is directed into engagement with the shoulder on thelower roller rather than into the sharp angle between the faces of therollers. Feeding means is provided for the copy sheets adapted byengagement with the body portions of the sheets to feed the sheets oneat a time toward the forwarding rollers in advance of the normalforwarding time for the sheet in each instance, so as to bring the bodyportion of the sheet into such position that the leading edge portion ofthe sheet is buckled into the formof a loop of such size that theleading edge of the sheet would normally extend beyond the zone ofcontact between the two rollers. The arrangement is such that when acopy sheet is fed to the forwarding rollersfthe leading edge portion ofthe copy sheet engages the groove of the lower forwarding roller so asto cause the sheet to be buckled upwardly into a loop against theinherent resiliency of the sheet, with the result that the leading edgeof the sheet presses yieidingly against said shoulder. This arrangementprovides substantially Va positive assurance that the sheet shall bealigned squarely in the machine, since the leading edge portion of thesheet moves forwardly with the forwarding rollers 'as they rotate afterthe formation of the loop until the sheet is gripped normally betweenthe forwarding rollers, the size of the loop in the sheet being suchthat the leading edge of the sheet is gripped between the forwardingrollers before the initially buckled sheet is completely straightenedout.

It is another object of this invention to improve devices of this typein sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by whichthe several objects have Ibeen attained are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view througha preferrw embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the machinesubstantially as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fis'. 2 but with some of the parts omittedand with` some of the parts in changed position;

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modied form ofstructure:

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the machinesubstantially as shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line t-Bof Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a portion ofthe machine of Fig; l showing conventionally a portion of the drivingap- Referring now to the several gures of the drawings. in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters. i0indicates a frame formed atleast partially of heusing members pressedinto form out of sheet metal for supporting a duplicating drum i irotatably mounted in position by means of a shaft i2. In the arrangementshown, the drum il is provided vvith grippers i8 movabiy mounted inposition so as to hold a master. sheet il removably in position on thedrum as is well understood in the duplicating machine art.

In the arrangement illustrated a platen roller` i! is rotatably mountedin position for applying pressurel upon the master sheet' Il in theusual manner, a coiled spring Il in the arrangement shown serving tpress the platen roller i6 upwardly toward the drum il.

The arrangement illustrated comprises also a moistening mechanism Il ofany approved type by which a film of solvent may be applied to each copysheet in turn as it is fed forwardly. In the arrangement shown, themoistening mechanism comprises a roller i8 rotatably mounted in positiona short distance in rear of the platen roller I5, a second roller I9being rotatably mounted in position below the roller Il so as tocooperate therewithgfor forwarding copy sheets as hereinafterdescribedto the bite of the drum II and the platen roller I5. In thearrangement shown, the roller I9 is rotatably mounted upon arms 20, eachof which is in the form of a lever pivotally mounted in position with aspring `2l bearing upon the lever for pressing the -roller I9 yieldinglyupward. Immediately in rear of the moistening and forwarding roller I8 aroller 22 is rotatably mounted in position in engagement with saidroller I8 so as to be rotated thereby,

such roller 22 extending at its lower face into ai receptacle 23 adaptedto hold a quantity of solvent 24 so that `upon the rotation of theroller 22 a film oi' the solvent is applied to the face of the rollerI8. u

The solvent 24 is fed to the receptacle 23 by means of a pipe 25perforated at 25a at intervals therealong so as to direct the solventinto the bottom of the'receptacle as shown in Fig. 2. The solvent isforced upwardly through the pipe 25 by means of a pump 28 from a supplyof the solvent in a tank 21, the pump 26 being actuated by a lever 28pivotally mounted below the drum Il and given a series ofoperativestrokes at timed intervals by means of an arm 29 and a roller30 bearing upon a cam 3l adapted to rotate with the drum II. 'I'he lever28 is provided at an intermediate point with an arm 32 provided at-itslower end with aroller 33 bearing against a cam 34 adjustably mounted inposition. As wilibe readily appreciated, when the cam 34 is rotated thearm 32 and the lever 28 are moved upwardly for limiting the downwardstroke of the lever 28 whereby the effectiveness of the pump 26 iscontrolled.

An overflow pipe 35 is provided connecting the receptacle 23 and thetank 21 for limiting the depth of the solvent in the receptacle 23.

Means is provided for driving the forwarding rollers I 8 and I9 by powerfrom the drum I I which in turn is driven by means illustrated onlyconventionally since it forms in and oi itself no part of the presentinvention. As illustrated in Fig. 1. the drum Ii is provided with alarge gear 3S at the near side of the machine as shown in said figure,said gear being in mesh with an idler pinion 31 which meshes with apinion 38 carried bythe moistening and forwarding roller I8. At the farside oi' the machine, the roller I8 is provided with a pinion 39 whichmeshes with a pinion 40 carried bv the forwarding roller I9. Thearrangement of the parts is suchthat the rollers I8 and I9 are driven atthe same surface speed as that of the drum Hand that the lowerforwarding roller I9 is brought always to the same position at the startof each cvcle of operations.

'This result is effected bv making the number ofl the teeth on the gear365 a multiple of the number of the teeth on the pinion 38.

The means illustrated for driving the drum II oomrises gears IIa. andIlb`adapted to rotate a ratchet II c which engages a, pawl IId carriedby the drum. The pawl IId is effective for driving except when moved outof engagement with the ratchet by acam lIIe at a' predetermined point inthe rotation of the drum, the arrangement being such that the gear 36gains a tooth distance upon the ratchet and drum in each revolution ofthe drum, the rollers I8 and I@ being held stationary while such gainis' being effected, For` insuring that the gear 39 shall be heldstationary when disconnected from the i driving means, a latchingv pawliIf is provided normally engaging plas Iig carried by the' gear 38. Acam Hh. serves to control the position of said pawl II! by contact witha roller IIk caris disclosed and claimed by an application led onSeptember 16, 1938,'by Morris P. Neal, Serial No. 230,172, and forms inand of itself no part of the present invention.

In the machine as shown, means is provided for feeding copy sheetsautomatically to the forwarding rollers I8 and I9 in proper timedrelation for movement to the bite of the drum Il and the platen rollerI5 for proper registration with the master sheet I4 on the drum. Thismeans comprises one or more rollers 4I rotatably mounted on the lowerend of an arm 42 which is adapted to swing with respect to a drive shaft43 so as to keep the roller 4I by gravity in contact with the top-faceof the uppermost sheet 44 of a pile of sheets upon a table 45. The shaft43 is provided with a gear 4B which meshes with teeth 41 in concentricposition upon the upper end of a lever 48 pivotally mounted on a pin 49.The lower end of the lever 4B is connected by a link 50 with a lever 5Ipivotally mounted upon a pin 52 and provided at its upper end with aroller 53 engaging the cam 3I. The shaft 43 is connected with the roller4I by means of a sprocket chain 54 and sprocket pinions 55 and 56. Thearrangement is such-that at one point in each revolution of the drum IIthe lever 48 is given a swinging movement for driving the shaft 43 andthe roller 4I in the direction for forwarding the top sheet 44 towardthe right in Fig, 1 toward the forwarding rollers I8 and I9. A spring 51is provided in connection with the link 5I) for returning the linktoward the right after a stroke of the link toward the left under the`iniiuence of the cam 3I.

. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the receptacle 23 is located directlyopposite to the zone of contact of the rollers I8 and I9, the rear faceof the receptacle being disposed obliquely so as to serve as a guide forthe sheet 44 fed forward by the roller 4I. IThe inner edge of the tabled5 is. also obliquely disposed so that the forward edge of a copy sheetbeing fed forward bythe roller 4I is directed always toward the upperportion of the roller I9.

The drive for the rollers I8 and I9 from the drum I I and the drive forthe roller 4I from the cam 3| rotating with the drum II are such thatthe forward edge of a copy sheet in moving toward the rollers I8 and I9is always brought into engagement with the square leading face of agroove l58 in the face of the roller I9 as shown in Fig. 2 for causingthe formation of a loop in the sheet at 59. The roller M is arranged foryadvancing the body portion of a copy sheet after its leading edgeengages the groove 58 for causing its body portion to gain substantiallyupon the forward edge portion of the sheet and thus causing the sheet tobe buckled upwardly at es. with rotate after the completion of the loop"and `after tbe termination of the period through which the rollers arestationary, the forward edge of the sheet Il is permitted to moveforwardly toward therightinl'ig. Zbytheresiliencyoftheloop until tbesheet is gripped normally between the rollers llanditwlththegrooyelldisplaced forwardly with respect to such point ofnipping. when the sheet has been grinned normally by the rollers Il andil with the groove Il displaced forwardly out of the way and with thesheet in correctly aligned position, the rollers il and IlAthenbeginioexertaforuurrdpullonthesheet for carrying it still fartherforward toward the rightintothebitecfthedrinn Il andtheplaten roller II.The roller ll isarranged torun freely in counter clockwise direction inFig. 2 for perlnlttlng the top sheet M to be drawn toward the Irihtintbismanner.

For insuring the formation ofthe loop Il, the stoppage of the rollers Iland Il upon each cycle of operation takes place when the rollers are inthe position as shown in Pigs. 1 and 2 while the feed of the papercontinues.

The arrangement ofthe feeding means compriming the roller il and theswingingly mounted arm I! upon which the roller is mounted is such thatthe arm and roller can be swung upwardly and backwardly out of positionfor the sheets Il so as to provide for a manual feeding of the sheetswhenever desired. When the sheets are fed manually, they are pushedforwardly so as to buckle the sheets upwardly to form loops therein justas described above in connection with the automatic feeding, the bodyportions of the sheets being held by hand in position until theirleading edges are engaged in the bite oi' the ro' tating forwardingrollers il and It.

m the arrangement shown in Figs. d, Sand 6.

the construction is substantially the same as that above describedexcept with respect to the moistening mechanism by which a illm oisolvent is applied to the upper moistening and forwa roller. The partsare. accordingly indicated by the same reference characters so far asthe parts correspond in construction and operation. the descriptionherein being restricted i s to the changes in the construction.

As is best shown in Fig. 5, the moistening i mech comprises a strip offelt It mounted in a carrier tl with a strip Ot of sponge rubberprovided as a support for the felt. such two strips being removablyheldin position upon the support @t by tongue means el positioned insuitable openings through the strips. A perforated pipe t4 is providedconnected by a pipe lo with the pump 2t, said pipe 65 corresponding withthe pipe il of the construction am described. 'ine pipe' 6l issurrounded by a second pipe It provided with openings t1 in its wall inposition for smiling solvent directly upon the face oi the ielt strip Blas it comes from the pump 2t. In-

uch as the arrangement of the moistening mech corresponds substantiallywith what is shown by Morrison application Serial No.

285,492, illed July 20. 1939. and since such construction forms in andof itself no part of the present invention, it is believed to beunnecessary to describe the same in further detail herein. Y

It will be understood that the forms of constructions as shown in thedrawings are preferred. The invention is not however to be limited tothe arrangements shown except so far as the claims may be so limited, itbeing understood that changes might wellbe made ln the `roller adaptedby engagement with a sheet fed thereto to cause said sheet to be buckledto proi vide a resilient loop in thesheet with its leading edge inrearof the zone of contact between said two rollers, means for guiding asheet directly to Said stop means, and means for ,rotating said rollersfor carrying said stop means past the zone of contact of said rollers soas to permit the sheet to straighten out into position with its leadingedge gripped by the rollers.

"2. In a sheet forwarding means, the combination of a pair of rollersone above the other adapted by engagement with a copy sheet to move itforwardly, one of said rollers being provided with a groove extendinglengthwise thereof with its leading edge face in the form of a shoulderadapted to serve as a means Viorstoppng the .movement of the forwardedge portion of a sheet led toward said rollers so as to cause saidsheet to be buckled to provide a resilient loop in the sheet, means forguiding a sheet directly to said shdulder, and means for rotating saidrollers for carrying said shoulder past the zone of contact oi saidrollers and for permitting the sheet to straighten out into positionwith its leading edge slipped by the rollers.

3. A liquid process duplicating machine, comprlsing in combination apair of cooperating rolladapted by engagement with a copy sheet to movethe sheet forwardly, stop means carried by one oi said forwardingrollers in ilxed position with respect to said miler adapted byengagemont with a sheet fed thereto to cause said sheet to ybe buckledto provide a resilient loop in the sheet with its leading edge in rearof the zone oi contact between said two rollers, and means for rotatingsaid forwarding rollers intermittently in timed relation to the movementof the sheet into looped position adapted to permit said rollers tostand stationary during the formatior` oi the loop and adapted to carrysaid stop means past the none of contact of said rollers while the sheetstrhtens out into position with its leadlng edge portion gripped by therollers.

t. A tu.. of the type described in which o copy sheet is forwarded intoimpression relationship with a master sheet carried around by o drum.comprising in combination a platen roller in impon relationship to saiddrum, two long rollers one above the other in rear oi the platen rolleradapted by engagement with a copy sheet to move the sheet forwardly intothe bite oi the drum and the platen roller, moistening means forapplying a film of solvent to the face of the upper one .of saidtwoforwarding rollers for er to the face of the copy sheet as the sheetmoves forward to the and platen miler. the lower one of said twoforwarding rollers being provided with a groove extending lengthwisethereof with its leading edge face in the form of a shoulder adapted toserve as a means for stopping the movement of the forward edge portionof a sheet fed toward said rollers so as to cause said sheet to bebuckled to provide a resilient loop in the sheet, and means for rotatingsaid forwarding rollers in timed relation to the movement of the sheetinto looped position for carrying said shoulder past the zone of contactof said forwarding rollers and for permitting the sheet to straightenout into position with its leading edge portion gripped by theforwarding rollers.

5. In a sheet forwarding means, the combination of a pair of rollers oneof which is provided with stop means independently of the other rolleradapted normally by engagement with theleading edge of a sheet fedthereto to cause the body portion of the sheet to gain on the leadingedge portion and thus to cause said sheet to be buckled to provide aresilient loop in the sheet, means for rotating said rollers forforwarding a sheet between them, and means driven in timed relation tothe rotation of said forwarding rollers effective at predeterminedintervals of time for feeding a sheet forward toward said rollers so asto form a loop in said sheet in backwardly spaced relation to the zoneof contact of said rollers and of such size that upon the continuedrotation of the rollers after the completion of said loop the sheetpasses into the normal grip of the rollers before the loop is completelystraightened out.

I 6. In a sheet forwarding means, the combination -of a pair of rollersone of which is provided with stop means independently of the otherroller adapted normally by engagement with the leading edge of asheetfed thereto to cause the body portion of the sheet to gain on theleading edge portion and thus to cause said sheet to be buckled toprovide a resilient loop in the sheet in backwardly spaced relation to`the zone of contact of said rollers, means for rotating said rollers forforwarding a sheet between them, guide means adjacent to said rollersadapted to direct a copy sheet into position for normal engagement withsaid stop means and arranged for expediting theformation of a loop in'backwardly spaced relation to said rollers, and means driven in timedrelation to the lrotation of said forwarding rollers effective atpredetermined intervals of time for feeding a sheet forward toward saidrollers so as to form a loop in said sheet of such-size that upon thecontinued rotation of the rollers the sheet passes into the normal gripof the rollers before the loop is cornpletely straightened out.

'7. In a sheet forwarding means, the combination of a pair of rollersrotatably mounted in cooperative relation one above the other forforwarding a sheet between them, with the lower roller provided with agroove extending lengthwise thereof with its leading edge face in the'form of a shoulder adapted to serve as stop means adapted by engagementwith the leading edge of a sheet fed thereto to cause the body portionof the sheet to gain on the leading edge portion and thus to cause said.sheet to be buckled to provide a resilient loop in the sheet, means fordriving said rollers in cooperative relation for forwarding a sheet,guide means adjacent to 'said rollers adapted to direct a copy sheetinto position for normal engagement with the groove of said lower rollerfor preventing the sheet from extending initially to the bite of therollers, and

means driven in timed relation to the rotation of l said rollerseffective at predetermined intervals of time for feeding a sheet forwardtoward said rollers so as toform a loop in said sheet with its forwardedge portion in backwardly spaced relation yto the zone of contact ofsaid rollers and of such size that upon the continued rotation of therollers after the completion of said intermittent feed of a sheet thesheet passes into the normal grip of said rollers` before the loop iscompletely straightened out.

8. In a sheet forwarding means, the combination of a rotatably mounteddrum, a platen roller rotatably mounted in cooperative ,relation to saiddrum, means for driving said drum, a pair of forwarding rollersrotatably mounted in cooperative relation one above the other a shortdistance in rear of said platen roller for forwarding a sheet to thebite of said drum and platen roller, with the lower one of saidforwarding rollers provided with a groove extending lengthwise of theroller with its leading edge face in thev form of a shoulder adapted toserve as stop means for slowing up the movement of the leading edgeportion of a sheet fed thereto, means for driving said forwardingrollers in cooperative relation for forwarding a sheet at substantiallythe same surface speed as that of the drum, and means driven in timedrelation to the rotation of said drum eifectiveat predeterminedintervals of time for feeding a sheet forward` toward said forwardingrollers so as to form a resilient loop in said sheet with its forwardedge portion in backwardly spaced relation to the zone of contact ofsaid forwarding rollers and of such size that upon the continuedrotation of the forwarding rollers after the completion of the ldrive,of said sheet feeding means the forward edge e portion of the sheetpasses into the normal grip of said rollers before the loop iscompletely straightened out.

PATRICK HENRY ROETHE.

